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. 2015 Nov 6;11(4):334-340.
doi: 10.2174/1573403X11666150805115822.

Left Atrial Appendage Closure -The WATCHMAN Device

Abhilash Akinapelli, Ojas Bansal, Jack P Chen, Alex Pflugfelder, Nicole Gordon, Kenneth Stein, Barbara Huibregtse, Dongming Hou  1
Affiliations

Left Atrial Appendage Closure -The WATCHMAN Device

Abhilash Akinapelli et al. Curr Cardiol Rev. .

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common arrhythmias seen in clinical cardiology practice. Patients with non-valvular AF have an approximately 5-fold increase in the risk of stroke, with an exponential increase with advancing age. Cardioembolic strokes carry a high mortality risk. Although the potential of warfarin to reduce systemic embolization in AF patients is well established, its use is difficult due to narrow therapeutic windows and additional complications (e.g. increased risk of bleeding), especially for aging patients. Therefore, alternative means of treatment to reduce stroke risk in these patients are needed. The left atrial appendage is the major source of thrombus formation in patients with non-valvular AF. The WATCHMAN device (Boston Scientific, MA) is a percutaneous left atrial appendage closure device which has been tested prospectively in multiple randomized trials. It offers a new stroke risk reduction option for high-risk patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation who are seeking an alternative to long-term warfarin therapy. Based on the robust WATCHMAN clinical program which consists of numerous studies, with more than 2,400 patients and nearly 6,000 patient-years of follow-up, the WATCHMAN LAAC Device is approved by FDA. In this article we reviewed the preclinical studies and clinical trials, as well as the next generation of the device.

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; left atrial appendage closure; WATCHMAN device.

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Figures

Fig. (1)
Fig. (1)
Watchman Device (Boston Scientific in Marlborogh, MA).
Fig. (2)
Fig. (2)
Watchman Device typically endothelializes within 45 to 60 days of implant, as shown in this canine heart (Image provided by Boston Scientific, Marlborough, MA, USA).
Fig. (3)
Fig. (3)
Gross and Microscopy images of WM and ACP in a canine model at 28 days. The WM device (A) showed the central area of the device covered with a layer of neo-endocardial tissue with tight device apposition to the native LAA wall. The ACP device (B) showed an area of bare flange mesh wires near the inferior edge of the disk; also there was incomplete coverage of the end-screw hub [28].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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